Education

BioBlitz Canada 150: What We Found

Nov 14, 2017

To mark Canada's 150th anniversary, we joined the country in exploring the biodiversity around us with a 24-hour bioblitz in June (BioBlitz Canada 150: Regina) and July (BioBlitzing the Cypress Hills). The records from both these BioBlitzes will be rolled into the BioBlitz Canada 150 data to help inform choices on such issues such as climate change and loss of biodiversity, shape conservation decisions and ensure these wild species and spaces remain for generations to come. Check out the species that we discovered.

BioBlitz Canada 150: Regina was the first event of its kind in the city; there was no previous baseline data on the species that inhabited the area. We now have documented data of the diversity within Wascana Centre, and encourage everyone to continue collecting data on their own, contributing to the national, and international, database through the iNaturalist platform.

The plants category in Cypress Hills yielded some exciting finds. The following list of bryophytes (the mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) are either new to the Cypress Hills, or new to the province. It really demonstrates why having experts come to a bioblitz is so important.

Mosses

Cratoneuron commutatum - reported from the Alberta side; first report for the Saskatchewan side

Cratoneuron filicinum - reported from the Alberta side; first report for the Saskatchewan side

Hylocomium umbratum - new to Cypress Hills; new to Saskatchewan

Orthotrichum elegans - new to Cypress Hills

Orthotrichum sordidum - new to Cypress Hills; new to Saskatchewan

Polytrichum commune - new to Cypress Hills; in Saskatchewan recorded only from the Boreal Zone

Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus - reported from the Alberta side; first report for the Saskatchewan side

Timmia austriaca - reported from the Alberta side; first report for the Saskatchewan side

Liverworts

Chiloscyphus profundus - reported from the Alberta side; first report for the Saskatchewan side

Ptilidium ciliare - reported from the Alberta side; first report for the Saskatchewan side

Thank you to all the community organizations, partners, volunteers, experts, and citizen scientists for making the BioBlitzes a success!